Who Am I?

Our name may be a clue!

May I begin with this… I find my name to be boring, plain, unimaginative, uninspired and, well, lame. No offense to my parents.

I have always pictured myself as more of an Isabella Lulu, or Anastasia Natasha– anything with a little more drama, elegance, playfulness and pizazz.

Kelly is so NOT je ne sais quoi!

It is very je sais and je ne care pas.

However, in my ongoing human pilgrimage, I came across African wisewoman, Sobonfu’s suggestion that actually our name has buried within who we are and why we are here.

I immediately thought this ridiculous, absurd and not possible with my name.

AND, I was immediately curious when she suggested that, you probably think this is not true with YOUR name but you are wrong. She went on to suggest we look up what our names mean.

So I did.

And Kelly means warrior.

I looked up my sisters and friends and sure enough inside of their names and the meanings are clues to who they are. They may never have seen themselves this way but I would bet upon reflection they’d be pleased and proud and inspired.

I would have described myself as more of creative introverted crazy person always running from one thing to another like a nut-obsessed squirrel.

But my name’s meaning has given me a new lens through which to see myself.

Imagine viewing everything you have done and are doing through a lens you had never considered? It is illuminating and powerful.

This will sound crazy, improbable and weird but I have literally begun walking a little differently.

Kelly (and thus, me) now has an altogether different energy.

Instead of leaning forward in a kind of toe-led, tightly would, mission-driven motion I have started walking up right. You know, like a normal homo sapien.

I am landing in the middle of my foot and leading literally (and figuratively) with my heart more than my head. It is an apt metaphor made more compelling by the fact that warriors are courageous.

And the root of the name courage is Coeur, of heart.